Leaving Las Vegas (1995) is Nicolas Cage at his most raw and devastating and he delivers a performance that won him an Oscar and became one of the bleakest love stories ever put on film. Cage plays Ben Sanderson, a man who moves to Las Vegas to drink himself to death, where he meets Elisabeth Shue in a career-defining role as a sex worker who chooses to love him anyway.

 

In this episode, Richard Lewis, MonteCristo, and Thorin break down Cage’s Oscar-winning performance, Elisabeth Shue’s shocking transformation, and the film’s unflinching depiction of addiction, despair, and fleeting connection. They also discuss Roger Ebert’s surprising praise, the film’s cultural impact, and why Leaving Las Vegas still resonates nearly 30 years later.

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